I had no idea what to expect from "Olive Again". American fiction has never been one of my favourite genres but I was attracted by the fact that the author's prize-winning "Olive Kitteridge" had been so very well received.

Olive has a striking, if not over-bearing, personality. She is perceptive and although she is objectively interested in the places and people around her, she has always been very self-centered. This book covers events in her later life with chapters linked by references to Olive, either as a bit-player in the chapter or (more often) as the main character. There are cameos of life in Maine over the past 15 - 20 years to the Trump era, illustrating ways in which society and mores have changed. We see Olive becoming increasingly self-aware as she ages and reflects on these changes and on her own life and the experiences of people she meets.

"Olive Again" is beautifully written, the characters are credible and very well developed. It is a poignant novel of aging and old age which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for giving me a copy of the novel in exchange for this honest review.

Olive, Again is a tapestry of short stories set in the fictional yet entirely believable town of Crosby, Maine. All the stories feature, to a greater or lesser degree, the eponymous Olive Kitteridge; in several she merely passes through in a cameo, ‘blink-and-you'll-miss-her’ appearance. In others she is very much centre stage; the book sequentially tracks her advancing years so the reader shares stoic, stubborn, forthright Olive’s decline of independence. I found this to be an incredibly moving and humbling experience.

I hadn't read Oliver Kitteridge, the book that introduces this fascinating character, but this didn't impact my enjoyment of Olive, Again - very much a standalone sequel.

Stabs of humour are perfectly placed and just frequent enough to prevent the book from tipping into a depressing reflection of the futility of life and inevitability of death.

As a study of old age, Olive, Again is unapologetic in its visceral candour - it's a farts-and-all portrayal. (And if you happen to be a middle-aged daughter of an elderly mother living elsewhere, Olive may remind you to pick up the phone and check up on your mother, without judgement or agenda. Just to ask what she's been up to and listen to her, properly.)

Elizabeth Strout captures perfectly the minuscule moments of social awkwardness between characters - the stunted rhythms of verbal and non-verbal communication that are barely perceptible yet define relationships; both lifelong family relationships and the random interactions of strangers.

The dialogue is pitch-perfect throughout; as authentic as fictional dialogue can possibly be. In fact, Strout's talent and skill as a writer is at times breath-taking and Olive, Again should be treasured as much for this as for its detailed yet light-handed portrait of Olive. Like a great oil painting that is so true it could almost be a photograph, until you look closer and realise how much technical skill and creative talent was required to paint it.

Olive, Again is not a page turner and makes no pretence of being one. Rather, it is a philosophical and deeply-moving read that will change the way you regard old age and perhaps even death itself. I highly recommend this book to anyone with who values truly great writing and beautifully drawn characters.

This book was a quiet joy to read. A set of interlinked stories based around Maine, with the linking thread being an old teacher named Olive. There are many different characters included but it is not at all confusing. I just wanted to know more about each of her friends, acquaintances and family. Beautifully written.

This is a book about relationships and how people adapt to them. It is really more a collection of cameos than a novel but Strout cleverly interweaves these around her wonderful central character Olive Kitteridge. Olive has grown old and, whilst still extraordinarily abrasive to people, she is mellowing and beginning to reluctantly understand that she needs to soften a little if she is to experience any sort of happiness. There is a message in here for all of us about the importance of, just occasionally, really opening up to close friends and family. It is truly said that a problem shared is a problem halved.

OLIVE, AGAIN


I loved Oliver Kitteridge the first time round, and I love her even more with Elizabeth Strout’s second book.

She has created a truly wonderful character who comes to life as soon as the book opens and draws you in to her life. Olive now has a new man in her life but that doesn’t mean that she has mellowed over the years. Beneath the rather brittle exterior, Olive has a kindness for others and I have felt that it has been a privilege to have known her.

Elizabeth Strout is a superb writer and Olive, Again is one of her best.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

The title sums it all up really - Olive, Again. Olive is still a bit Marmite; sometimes she is confused by life and begs for sympathy and understanding, other times she is downright miserable. I suppose we are all a little like that so I can't really hold it against Olive, however I was hoping for a little more from the book.

It is really a collection of short stories about people that Oliver either meets or has some tenuous link. Some of the people I struggled to understand why they were in the story, others I wanted to know more about. All in all Elizabeth Strout has written much finer books and I would go to them before reading this one.

Beautifully written and I wanted to spend time with the characters in the book. I loved watching as Olive grew old gracefully and loved her strong opinions. Beautifully written and is truly meaningful and gripping. My first Elizabeth Strout book but it won't be my last as I look for her previous writings.

Why do I keep forgetting how enjoyable Elizabeth Strout’s novels are?

A series of short stories all interwoven to create a well-written and gentle novel about ordinary people. It is not necessary to have read Strout’s previous novels although it is nice when a character re-appears like a blast from the past.
Everyday people living everyday lives – so compelling.

I haven’t read the first book about Olive Kitteridge but I will be going to find it now! What a wonderful character and what beautiful writing from Elizabeth Strout. I had read ‘My name is Lucy Barton’ and found Strout’s writing to be almost hypnotic at times, soft, muted like the sound of the world when it’s blanketed with snow. That wonderful feeling is captured in this book too, but as it takes place out in the world as it were, it is punctuated by louder notes, sharper voices and more demands on you the reader.
Told as a set of little vignettes, (a style I’ve not encountered before and I’m sure if others are doing it, it won’t be as successfully) we meet Olive and a huge cast of characters who live in the area around Crosby Maine. Some characters really capture your heart and I’d love to have known more about what happened to Kayley Callaghan for example, while others drift in or out of the book in the way some people we encounter in life simply do.
Olive herself is waspish, opinionated, sometimes outright rude, but she is also caring, shy and lacking in self esteem. Her self awareness grows through the novel, thanks in part to her wonderful second husband Jack but also in meeting and beginning to accept her daughter in law.
The sheer poignancy of the swift passing of years, and Olive’s move to the nursing home and on towards her death is staggering. I’m not sure many contemporary authors are writing about old age, from the perspective of the older person with such honestly and warmth.
This book is a must read.

Oh Godfrey, how I loved Olive Kitteridge - a book I never wanted to end. Each person she comes into contact with is a separate little story, each different and all enjoyable connections. A woman who touched so many lives, including mine. I laughed at her inner thoughts and winced at her outspoken comments to others but what a massive character. I will remember this book for its difference, its freshness, style and for Olive herself, what a film this would make. One of my years best reads, loved it - needless to say.

This was the first Olive Ketteridge book I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a very light-feel book. I felt as if I was absorbed into many different lives which were connected to the main character in some way. The story never felt as if I had missed out on the previous novel. It was only halfway through the book when I found out (from Goodreads) that there was one!

The story was a wonderful outlook on how we look back on our life when we begin to hit the later years, how we reflect and really start to question all our choices and decisions, no matter how small. This book really brought to life, personal experiences of what we may (will) all go through at some point in our lives.

I loved how the story interweaved between different characters. It didn't really delve too deeply into their lives, but it gave us enough to feel that everyone's stories deserve their own perspective and respect. Everybody is an individual and we all travel through life completely different from one another.

Olive's handle of life was a lovely insight into how we should not worry about our decisions, but that we need to live and appreciate the moments now. It brought home how we shouldn't let our past define our decisions but to live life as best as we can because we won't have another chance at it.

Beautifully emotive, the dialogue is stupendous. Ordinary men and women who become extraordinary discussing their lives with all the trials and tribulations we all have, yet written with great charm and pathos. Wonderful

Oh I do love Olive but at the same time dislike her. The author captures these feelings completely. The whole novel reads like a series of short stories my favourite being the dominatrix daughter. Oh Olive we will miss you.

Prior to reading 'Olive, Again', I had never heard of 'Olive Kitteridge' (both book and TV series) and I certainly didn't know what I was getting myself into. There were so many good reviews about Elizabeth Strout's writing and the fact that she had won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction sold it for me. So I gave this book a read...

At first, I wasn't so sure. Olive Kitteridge is a very peculiar character that on first impressions, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy reading about her. She came across as quite quirky and bitter. The book was laid out in short stories, evolving around the characters that lived in the coastal town of Crosby. It was nice seeing the same characters briefly popping up into each story. What was different for me compared to a lot of the books that I normally read was the characters were more mature. It was definitely an eye opener especially seeing the loneliness surrounding the characters and just getting into their mind set was very thought provoking. Strout's writing is just exceptional and I can see where that Pulitzer Prize came from. It was raw with emotion and very candid about the character's struggles with grief and life in general.

Overall, 'Olive, Again' is a melancholy and sad book but what hit me the most was how sincere and raw it was. They say fiction's meant to be an escapism but I think the realness of this book is what makes it stand out. It's very honest and thought provoking.

What a joy it has been to be back in the company of Olive Kitteridge!
I only read Olive Kitteridge quite recently and absolutely loved it, so I was thrilled to read this follow-up.
Olive, Again follows a similar structure in that it meanders through the lives of many inhabitants of Crosby, Maine and Shirley Falls, all of whom have had their lives touched by Olive in some way. The chronology is similarly loose, skipping ahead years at a time sometimes but at every moment Olive is there somewhere in the narrative- either right at the heart of the story, or somewhere close by.
Strout’s writing is really remarkable as she pulls you in, keeps you reading and makes you ache at the pathos of each story and care about each character (even if you are desperate to get back to Olive!)
Olive is, as always, her worst enemy sometimes-pushing people away, bristly and awkward, outspoken to the point of rudeness yet she is always kind to those in need and never suffers fools gladly. I like to think everyone has, or should have a little bit of Olive in them -she’s easily my favourite character in recent memory.

Olive Again revisits a lot of the same themes as Olive Kitteridge- families, loneliness and is about where you come from and how events from your past reverberate through the present and the future. It’s also really moving on the realities of ageing.

The amazing thing about this book is that despite the fact that so many of the characters here are depressed or traumatised, it is such a joyous and optimistic book, and made me feel that redemption is possible for all of us (with perhaps one or two exceptions) no matter where you come from, or what you have done. It makes you hold your loved ones tightly and appreciate them despite their foibles- life moves fast and you have to appreciate what you have.

The writing is so spare, yet rich and emotionally powerful and I didn’t want it to end. I must admit I didn’t think it was quite as perfect as Olive Kitteridge but I think Elizabeth Strout is an incredible writer and it was still one of my favourite books this year and still five stars! It was a joy to revisit Olive and Jack and the rest of the cast and although I haven’t read all of the author’s backlist I realised that some of the other characters in Olive Again were actually from her previous books- Amy and Isabelle and The Burgess Boys so I’m off to read those now!

Olive has made me look at the world in a different way. Hugely recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books (UK) for this ARC of Olive Again.

This is a collection of short stories based around an old lady known as Olive Kitterage, some more loosely connected than others. I haven’t read the first volume, Olive Kitterage, and I don’t feel this is a pre-requisite for reading this second volume as the two stand alone well.

The first 25% of the book seemed to jump around at random and cover unrelated characters. Only after the first quarter did it start to gel more for me. Most of the stories after that had an obvious link to Olive, but a couple still felt tenuous at best.

Some of the narrative suffers from head hopping, and at times, I had to go back and read a section again to try and grasp which character’s POV we had jumped into.

A few of the stories seemed disconnected and more like vignette slice-of-life type tales with no real beginning, middle, or end.

Some of my favourites were: Heart–well rounded and shows personal growth for Olive.

The End of the Civil Ward Days–all about reconciliation.

The Poet–Soul searching for old-aged Olive.

All in all, a poignant collection of tales ideal for those times when you don’t have a lot of leisure to sit and read a novel. Easy reading and some of the stories will touch your heart.

Olive Again gets a firm 3 stars from me.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.

4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.

3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.

2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.

1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Elizabeth Strout’s writing is perfection and I live in hope that Frances McDormand will reprise her role as Olive.

Ahh this was lovely. Like sinking into a warm, comfy bath. I loved Olive K when it first came out, so it was so nice to revisit her world. Strout is a fantastic writer. Her seemingly effortless prose and dialogue are light and easy - and then suddenly she hits you with a line so spot on and moving. I've enjoyed everything she's written.

Elizabeth Strout has done it again. In this sequel to the Pulitzer Prize winning Olive Kitteridge, her extraordinary powers of insight and empathy are once more on full display. Strout writes about the everyday concerns of ordinary people, and she does it better than any other author I've read.

Lots of folk in Crosby, Maine don't care much for Olive Kitteridge. To many, she was their grumpy, abrupt math teacher, and when they spot her in the supermarket, they duck behind a different aisle. However, there are a few souls that can look past that gruff exterior to see the kind heart underneath. These days, Olive is coming to terms with loss and old age. But there are reasons to be cheerful - her relationship with her son appears to be thawing, and she has found new love in an unexpected place. The world might irritate Olive more than most, but she's doing her best to become "oh, just a tiny—tiny—bit better as a person."

The stories in the book are linked, much like its predecessor. They are all wonderful vignettes in their own way but a few of them stood out in my mind. Friend tells of Olive adjusting to assisted living and making a new pal in the process. A woman from a troubled family finds a kind shoulder to cry on in Helped. And in Light, Olive bumps into a former student who is fighting cancer, and comforts her in her own unique way.

The characters tackle problems that all of us will have to handle some day - heartache, loneliness, ageing. For Olive, old age is not without its benefits - there is something liberating about it:
"...you go through life and you think you're something. Not in a good way, and not in a bad way. But you think you are something. And then you see"—and Olive shrugged in the direction of the girl who had served the coffee—"that you no longer are anything. To a waitress with a huge hind end, you've become invisible. And it's freeing."
Bob Burgess is sad because he doesn't see his brother Jim enough - his wife can't stand to spend time in Maine and there are times when he wonders why Jim married her at all. But then he has has a revelation that makes this easier to bear:
"It came to him then that it should never be taken lightly, the essential loneliness of people, that the choices they made to keep themselves from that gaping darkness were choices that required respect: This was true for Jim and Helen, and for Margaret and himself as well."
And Olive comes to terms with her mortality in a beautiful, wistful way:
"It was almost over after all, her life. It swelled behind her like a sardine fishing net, all sorts of useless seaweed and broken bits of shells and the tiny, shining fish—all those hundreds of students she had taught, the girls and boys in high school she had passed in the corridor when she was a high school girl herself (many—most—would be dead by now), the billion streaks of emotion she'd had as she looked at sunrises, sunsets, the different hands of waitresses who had place before her cups of coffee— All of it gone, or about to go."

I've said this before about Elizabeth Strout's writing and I'll say it again - there is something incredibly authentic and real about it. Her characters are so alive, their vulnerabilities and flaws render them so believable. It was an absolute pleasure to return to the town of Crosby and spend some more time in Olive's company. I was sad to say goodbye but I will treasure the experience.

This book is well-written, but I didn't enjoy the style of writing, and I couldn't warm to the characters. I think the book is just too American for me, but I can see that other people would love it.